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Pacers blow lead, hang on to beat Heat
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-04 13:47
With Alonzo Mourning in at center and utilizing a three-guard lineup over
much of the stretch, the Heat held Indiana without a field goal for the next
nine minutes. The Pacers missed 10 straight shots, allowing Miami to draw to
85-79 when Wade hit a pair of free throws with 9:57 remaining.
Wade blocked a 3-point attempt by Tinsley early in the fourth, and the Heat
could have made what was a six-point game even closer. But the ball caromed off
Wade's hand to Indiana's David Harrison, who spun and scored for an 87-79 lead —
ending an 0-for-10 skein by the Pacers.
But the Heat kept clawing, using a 14-6 run to tie the game at 93 with 5:00
left. Gary Payton scored and was fouled by Tinsley to draw Miami within 93-92.
Tinsley was whistled for a technical, and Wade made that free throw to knot the
score — but Payton missed the one that would have put Miami ahead.
Miami led only once, when Haslem made the game's first basket.
The Heat were 27-for-42 from the foul line, and couldn't even blame the woes
on their center who has notorious free-throw problems: Shaq was 6-for-8.
Artest was booed when introduced before the game, and the catcalls worsened
when he was whistled for the game's first foul 17 seconds after tip-off.
But he had 10 points in the opening quarter, silencing
the sellout crowd with a 3-pointer — shooting it 8 feet behind the arc and over
Haslem's outstretched arm — at the period's buzzer to push Indiana's lead to
29-23.
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